Breathless
by ausllyxaustinally
Summary: Ronnie Romone has demanded Austin and Ally end their partnership out of fear that Ally is helping the competetion. The gang is forced to find Austin a new songwriter, stat! But what happens when the song writer that Austin decides to hire is a blast from Ally's past? Now, Ally must admit to a secret she's been hiding for years! [Story line inspired by Austin and Alias]
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

[Ally]

"This is unbelievable," I grumbled. Austin, Dez, Trish, and I, were all slumped over on chairs in the Practice Room after hearing the news that Austin must search for a new song writer, Mr. Ronnie Romone's orders.

"What are we going to do?" Austin sighed, "I can't write my own music and I don't think we'll find anyone as good as Ally," he added before Trish shot in any ideas of having a new songwriter come in.

Normally my head would have inflated slightly at this comment, but currently, I was too bummed out about not being Austin's song writer anymore that I let the comment drop to the floor and shatter. "We have no choice, Austin. We'll have to find somebody," I said, softly.

Austin grumbled something under his breath that I didn't quite catch. Before I could question him, he got up from his chair, "Well, let's start searching."

"Now?" Trish said, her eyes bugging out slightly.

"Yes. I want to get this over with," he mourned. We all nodded and got up from our chairs and headed out from the practice room and started our journey on finding Austin's new songwriter.

"Are you ready to pick a songwriter?" I asked Austin. He glanced at me, nodding with a small smile which I gratefully returned.

We weren't so upset anymore. Bummed out, sure, but not upset. I guess we accepted Ronnie's wishes and maybe deep down we knew this would happen. I mean, we can't come from different labels and expect to help write each other's songs. But I'm still nervous for Austin to get a new songwriter. I'm worried that his career will suffer without us working together, I'm worried that, maybe, even _my_ career will suffer without us working together. I'm worried about the kind of person he could be working with. I'm worried about writing my own music without him, he was always better at writing music notes than I was - words were more my thing. I'm afraid what awful pull that will put on my work when not having Austin to help out with making my music. And what if his new songwriter totally changes him? What if the song writer changes his music? What if-

"Ally!"

My head snapped over to my best friend, Trish, who had been calling my name for apparently quite some time considering the confused looks on my friends faces. "Huh?" I breathed out, dumbly.

She glanced over for a second, "the song?" she said, "what did you think of her song?" My heart dropped into my stomach as I slowly looked over at the young girl who was standing in front of us, bouncing on her feet excitedly.

"Um..." I gulped. I could feel the embarrassment settle in my stomach. _I didn't even know she was in here. _Forcing the words out of my throat, I blurted, "Really good! You're awesome!"

"She is?" my friends all spoke in unison, their mouths gapped open at me. I swallowed down the knot in my throat.

"Yeah!" _Hm, guess she's not that great, judging by the looks on their faces. _

"Next!" Austin shouted before further discussion was made. I forced myself not to chew on my hair. I decided it was best to dive into what needed to be done rather than my thoughts.

The next Could-Be-Austin's-Song-Writer walked in. He was a little bit chunky and his cheeks were beetroot red. He looked nervous. I felt sympathy for him. His hands were shaking at his sides and he stared at us for a long time before Dez let out boldly, "We're waiting."

He smiled shyly before his deep voice echoed through the Practice Room. I flinched. _He definitely wasn't meant for singing, _I thought sourly. He wasn't even finished when Austin shouted 'Next'.

I couldn't help myself as I exclaimed sweetly, "Maybe next time!" My friends turned to look at me and stared. "What?" I mumbled. They shook their heads and pulled out the next resume sheet for whoever was up next.

"Nobody, absolutely nobody!" Austin was in mid-rant, pacing back and forth while I sat at the piano, struggling to listen to him.

"There's still tomorrow," I yawned, my fingers hitting a few piano keys. I scribbled down the notes into my songbook and continued on while Austin continued to babble. I jumped when his figure was suddenly beside me. I hadn't even noticed him move.

"I just don't want things to change," he sighed. My heart thumped hard against my ribcage. I wondered if he could hear it. His eyes drooped down to stare at the piano keys.

"We're going to have to accept that it will," I told him. He looked at me, almost hurt that I admitted to it. "Come on, Austin, you'll be spending a lot of time with this songwriter. Some things will change, but we'll still be friends."

For a split second, I thought I heard him grumble, "Yeah, _friends,_" under his breath. I didn't have time to question him because he suddenly sighed, nodding in agreement. "I'm just gonna miss this." he admitted to me. I felt my breath catch in my throat when he turned to look at me, his eyes staring into mine. I could hear my ever growing thoughts echoing three words that I wanted badly to say, but I didn't dare let them jump out from my lips.

Instead, I told him, "Me too." He smiled slightly at me. I was scared that I was going to say something I would regret so I turned back to stare at the piano, but I could feel his eyes on me. "I need to get home." I glanced at the clock, "and so do you, let's go." I grabbed the keys to the store and we headed out. I was grieving the fact that maybe tonight was the last time I would ever sit with him at a piano ever again.

[Third Person's POV]

"Are you sure this is the one?" Trish asked Austin through the phone. She slowly nodded as she listened to Austin describe his new songwriter to her. "What's her name?" Trish wondered. She heard his reply and stopped in her steps for a moment, "Bay...Bay...Why does that sound so familiar?" she asked herself before shrugging her shoulders and walking towards Sonic Boom. "Alright, I'm almost here. Ally's still at that stupid Science Fair. But she should be back any minute." She listened to Austin say goodbye.

She'd heard good things about this Bay from Dez. Apparently, she was an amazing songwriter(though Dez added that she wasn't quite as good as Ally), talented singer, she was smart, beautiful, and funny. Trish was keen that this Bay only sounded like another Ally but she shook off her opinionated feelings.

Trish excitedly ran up the stairs and ran into the practice room. "Where is she?! Where is she-" Trish stopped suddenly in her steps. She didn't even turn to look at Dez and Austin who stood to the side, smiling proudly at their choice. They hadn't even noticed the color that drained from the Latino's face.

The new songwriter stood up from the stool that she was sitting on and smiled at Trish nervously. "Trish," she said, nearly breathless. The merry smiles fell from both Dez and Austin's faces. So much for shocking Trish with their great choice, but Trish knows everybody! They should've known she would know Bay.

"What are you doing here?" Trish hissed, acidly.

"Wait...You guys...know each other..?" Austin said, confusedly. The two girls looked at Austin before slowly nodding. Trish turned her attention back to Bay.

"Does _she_ know your here?" Trish questioned. Bay slowly shook her head.

"No," she said, softly. "Not yet." Bay didn't meet Trish's intimidating stare. A muscle in Trish's jaw ticked. There was no invisibility of Trish's anger towards the songwriter. Dez and Austin looked between the two girls, their thoughts tangled in thick confusion.

"Bay. She's.." Trish shook her head, unable to put words together properly. "Ally...She just..." Trish licked her lips before spitting out, "I don't think she wants to see you." Bay let out a defeated sigh, taking a seat on the stool once again.

"You know Ally, too?" Austin shrieked, a smile curling on his lips. He felt his anxiety lessen knowing that there would be no conflict between the two songwriter's.

Or so he thought.

For a moment, Austin thought both girls ignored his outburst, but then Trish spoke with evident anger laced in her voice. "Did you ask for her last name before you agreed that she was your songwriter?" Trish questioned, keeping her eyes trained on Bay who looked defiant to meet Trish's gaze. Austin shook his head slowly, raising a quizzical brow. Trish sighed aggravated. "This is Bay...Bay _Dawson. _Ally's _sister._" When Trish looked towards Austin and Dez she saw their eyes grow wide. Not only with shock, but confusion as well. '_There's going to be a lot of explaining to do'_ Trish thought to herself.

"Ally has a-" Dez didn't get to finish when Ally burst into the Practice Room.

"I'm sorry, I'm late, I was at-" Ally stopped frozen in her steps. Trish twisted around and looked at Ally with worry. Bay's eyes grew wide and she leaped up from the stool, feeling her heart rate quicken. Ally stared into the eyes of her _"long-lost" _sister.

"Ally," Bay let out after a gulp. Ally noted the sound of her sister's voice shaking. Bay's lips twisted into a soft smile, "Hey," her voice got quieter. She couldn't believe it. She was really face-to-face with Ally.

Ally couldn't move. Her feet were planted to the floor and she couldn't think past her flying thoughts that were scattering in her brain. Ally felt a lump crawling up from the base of her throat. _Was this really happening?_ She wondered to herself. Ally was still struggling to piece together what was going on. Her breathing was getting slightly heavy and she knew her friends, with the exception of Trish, must also be wondering what's going on.

Austin and Dez glanced at each other in the purity of confusion. They both looked back to the two sisters. The more they stared, the more it made sense. The girls definitely did look blood-related. Their hair was the same color, well, before Ally had dyed her natural hair color to a lighter chestnut. Bay moved a lot like Ally, too, like the way she stood up or even when she had walked through the door for her "audition" to be Austin's songwriter. They had the same nose, too. Austin and Dez looked back at each other once more when they grabbed the affect of the tension that was screaming inside the room. There was _definitely _a conflict.

Ally's tone was breathy, "W...What...?" She looked like a patient who had just awoken from a coma. Her eyes wandering around, staring at her sister, wanting - needing answers but too afraid to ask. Bay didn't push or even try to fit the words in Ally's mouth. She stood across from her, silently.

"What's happening?" Dez whispered into Austin's ear, quietly. Austin didn't break his stare from the two conflicted songwriters as he shrugged in response. Trish suddenly remembered Austin and Dez's presence and glanced back at them, giving them a twisted look that was a mixture between apologetic, worry, and anxiousness. That was when both boys knew that something was terribly wrong. It was _serious. _

The tension was growing louder in the room, it was almost deafening. But Ally just scrounged around in her brain for words. Bay didn't judge, she waited for whenever Ally was ready to talk. Trish kept her eyes glued to her best friend, ready to leap in when Ally needed to bolt. Meanwhile, Austin and Dez ignored the tension that bothered them and decided that the questions that they wanted to ask must be asked much, _much _later.

Ally's shocked and confused feelings did a 360 and she clenched her hands, feeling anger course through her veins and boil in the pit of her stomach. "What are you doing here?" Ally's voice was soft but the anger was quite clear. The _hurt _was quite clear. Something that Ally didn't often show. Now, it was Bay's turn to not know what to say.

"She's my songwriter," Austin suddenly said. Ally turned her head to him, only just realizing Trish, Dez and Austin's company despite the fact she knew they'd be here. Normally, with just one look, Austin could make her anxiety, anger, or hurt, just melt away like an ice cube on a burning sidewalk, but not today. Not in this moment. This was _far _too raw. She just accepted his answer and turned her attention towards her sister once again.

"Songwriter?" she echoed, but the question was directed at her sister. Bay could hardly look Ally in the face, seeing the hurt there, but she didn't dare move her gaze away.

Bay nodded, slowly, "Yeah," was all she could get out at the moment.

"And you couldn't have found another musician?" Ally quizzed her, unable to get the anger to leave her voice.

"He needed a songwriter and I was in town." Bay said. For some odd reason, she couldn't get the truth to pass through her teeth. She couldn't get out the _real _reason to why she was here. Ally swallowed hard, forcefully nodding her head. It was obvious that Ally did _not _want her here.

"Do me a favor," Ally's voice was getting raspy now and her head was pounding hard against her skull from suppressing so much emotion. Bay looked Ally in the eye. "Get out of my store."

The three teenagers who were looking at the conflict in front of them snapped their eyes towards Ally. They had never heard such anger before. But it was really the hurt that caught their attention, but Ally was good with masking her hurt with all of that pent up anger towards her sister.

"Ally," the lump was easily heard in Bay's voice. Ally didn't know how much more she could take before she either let the dam in her heart break loose or perhaps the anger would get the best of her and a palm would be across her sister's cheek. She didn't want either to happen. Ally wasn't weak nor violent, so she preferred Bay just left.

"Leave," Ally ordered, no room for an argument left, but Bay was defiant and held her ground. Something her and Ally shared.

The truth that was held back in Bay's throat was spat out as she croaked, "Ally, I came back for you."

Ally felt something tug at her heart, but she masked everything with anger. She wouldn't let her friends or _especially _Bay see her vulnerability. "Well, I don't want you here." Bay couldn't deny that, that hurt her. But then again, she did expect it.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, Ally!" she insisted, but Ally wasn't going to have this conversation. Especially not in front of her friends. Ally shook her head and gave her a look that said it was time for her to go. "Ally, I'm here now! I came for you. Why can't you just let go of the past and accept the fact that I'm back?" Bay questioned her, desperately.

"Because you're back." Ally spat, acidly. Bay felt a tickle in her nose, indicating she was about to cry, but she held it in. "Go. You're not needed or wanted here."

Bay knew she wasn't going to give up on Ally, but she also knew that she did need to leave for now. Maybe Ally just needed to process this. "I am needed." Bay let out, casting a look over her shoulder at her sister. "Austin needs a songwriter and he found me. I may not be wanted, but I am needed." She looks at Austin, "I'll see you tomorrow for our first session?" Austin slowly nodded, not knowing what else to do. Bay glanced at Ally longingly again, before walking out of the Practice Room.

"Ally," Trish called, softly. Ally looked at Trish who wore sad, worried eyes. Ally pressed her lips together, shaking her head and walking out of the Practice Room as well. She could hear her friends calling for her but she didn't turn back. She was thankful when Bay was no longer in the store. Ally left the mall, deciding she needed to go home. She turned off her cell phone, needing peace for a few hours to process what had just happened.

Comment?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two.

[Ally]

"Did you know?" I asked my Dad, accusingly, crossing my arms in front of my chest. My Dad jumped suddenly, not noticing my presence at all.

"Geez, Ally," he gasped, holding a palm over his heart. "Do you mind? I'm too young to die of a heart attack," he grinned at me, but it slowly fell from his face when he saw the look in my eyes. "Ally, what-"

"I said, did you know?" I couldn't deny that my voice had lifted in volume. He looked at me, his eyes clouded with confusion. I could feel my heart dropping lower from my chest, sinking into my stomach. _He didn't know and I definitely didn't want to be the one to tell him. _

"Ally, what is going on with you?" he asked, "Do I know what?" I could feel my phone buzzing in my pocket. I had only turned it on a few minutes ago and I was already getting another call, even after the thirty missed calls from Austin and so much more from Trish and a billion texts from Dez. I stared back at my Dad, ignoring the vibration of my phone. I was thinking of ways to come out with the fact that his other daughter is back. Mom broke him when she left and when he found out that Bay had left, too...Well, let's say he's not a man who heals easy - it took a while to get that smile back on his face and now Bay is back and she's gonna tear him apart all over again.

My phone was having a seizure in my pocket for the second time in one minute. I still ignored it. My friends could wait. I appreciate their concern but I need to talk to my Dad. "Bay," was all I was able to get out and even just saying her name made my voice crack.

I saw the weary look in his brown-eyed gaze. He shook his head, "What's going on, honey?"

I just have to say it. Say it now, Ally. "She's back." I squared my shoulders, readying myself to watch my father crumble like he did ten years ago. He stared at me, unable to comprehend what I was saying. I wondered silently if this is what it looked like to my friends, the uncomfortable silence with the tension clawing at shivering muscles.

He seemed to understand what was going on faster than I had. His voice was low, "And your mother?" That was when the blood-drained from my face. What if my Mom is back? I never asked.

I looked at him, shaking my head. "I don't know. But Bay is Austin's new songwriter." He slowly nodded. I was nearly knocked off my feet when I heard what his next response was, "Can I see her?"

"W...What?" I stared at him, crinkling my face in confusion.

"Bay..." he murmured, "Can I see her?"

Accidentally, I snapped, "Well, you'd have to ask her, not me." He let out a sigh.

"Ally," he rubbed his forehead. "It's Bay."

"Yeah, I know it's Bay." I hissed, "and she left and now she's back. Yet, you want to see her?"

"She's back, Ally. My daughter came back." he replied. "Your mother on the other hand..." he trailed off. He wasn't ready to see my Mom at all, it was written in his eyes like black sharpie on a piece of cardboard.

"Dad, she _left_." I emphasized, "willingly!"

"We don't know that," he responded, giving me a pointed look. I sighed, looking heavenward. I was so frustrated. I just wanted to yell, scream, hit something. I just wanted to cry. But I forced myself out of feeling that way by facing my father in the middle of my anger. I felt my phone buzzing _again _and I was so angry that I tore it from my pocket and ripped out the battery before shoving my phone back into my pocket.

"We don't have to know anything!" I shouted, "Dad, she left us. She _made _us go through this! Dad, we grieved and then she's back and you're just ready to accept it? To accept her? How could you do that?"

"How couldn't I, Ally?" he bit back. "She's my daughter." I didn't know what to say next. I'm not so sure I can argue with a statement like that. You know what they say, parents will do anything for their child. Even if that child has hurt them in the worst way.

I let out a frustrated sound and turned, walking up the stairs. I could hear him calling for me to come back, that we needed to talk about it. I, of course, didn't bother to listen. I slammed the door to my room. Am I the only one who sees what she did?

I paced around my room, but I didn't cry despite how much I wanted to. I decided I was too angry to cry so I just ran my fingers through my hair and tugged on the roots to release some of my frustration. I looked outside before grabbing my jacket and opening my window. I crawled out of my room and climbed down the vine that was growing on the side of my house and ran down the street.

When I got to my destination, I reached into my jacket for my keys and I unlocked the doors to Sonic Boom. With long, angry strides I made it to the Practice Room and sat down at the piano. I stared at the keys and felt a sharp, empty feeling in my chest. It was nearly the same feeling I felt when Bay and my Mom first left. But I silently agreed it wasn't nearly as bad. This was just the awful feeling of an old wound being opened again.

I hadn't even noticed my fingers were gliding across the keys until I heard the calming melody from the piano. I didn't even know how I was feeling exactly until my vocals matched pitch with the piano and the music grabbed the words and pulled them out.

_"You disappear with all your good intentions_

_And all I am is all I could not mention_

_Like who will bring me flowers when it's over_

_And who will give me comfort when it's cold_

_She took a plane to somewhere out in space_

_To start a life and maybe change the world_

_See I never meant for you to have to crawl_

_No I never meant to let you go at all_

_Oh, no,_

_Oh, no," _

I stopped immediately when I heard a soft knock. I jumped slightly, my heart pounding. I looked towards the door and heard the soft chuckling coming from one of my best friend's.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Austin assured me, a smile playing on his lips. "You didn't answer your phone so I figured I'd find you here and it looks like I was right." He paused and then: "That was really good," his eyes were soft and sincere. I smiled back at him. "Did you write it recently?"

"Yeah," I replied, "Just now." I saw his eyes grow really soft, softer than I've ever seen them. It made my heart feel warm to know that he cared so much for me.

"I'm really sorry about today." he said. To distract myself, I got up and cleared the papers left on the piano.

"Don't worry about it. Didn't bother me," I lie through my teeth.

"It didn't seem like that earlier." he said. I stopped moving, staring down at the music sheet in my hands. I knew there was no getting out of this one. There was no pretending to be okay. My friends saw something today that I can never change.

Slowly, I turned to look at him. "Sorry about that," I apologized. "You shouldn't have had to see that. Neither should have Trish or Dez." Austin didn't seem to know what to say at this point, but I knew what he wanted to ask. I was going to drop the subject and let him dwell in his curiosity and confusion but I felt that maybe Austin should know. He is super close and the last time there were secrets, well, that didn't turn out well. "You figured she was my sister, obviously."

"Yeah, Still kinda confused though." he admitted. I nodded slowly and didn't look at him. I stared down at the sheet music.

"It never used to be like this. As a kid, we were pretty good together. But when I was 8, my Mom left my Dad and everything sort of fell apart...a couple weeks after Mom was gone, my Dad and woke up to find Bay's room empty. No clothes, no blankets, no stuffed animals, and well, no Bay. But she'd left my Dad a note. She'd gone with my Mom. And sort of just...left me and my Dad. No good bye, nothing," I paused before adding, "I know I never told you about this and I probably should have, but one minute Bay was a big part of my life and then the next minute she wasn't, so I dropped her from everything. I stopped wondering about her, thinking about her, talking about her. Everything. I just...quit consuming my life with her in it. I just...went on like I never had a sister." _I sort of wish I didn't have one. _

Austin was silent for a few moments, before murmuring, "I'm sorry." I looked at him with a forced smile.

"Thanks, but I'm over it." I assured him.

"Are you?" he questioned. I was too shocked by his reply to answer. Everybody's just always gone with what I've said, nobody has ever questioned me about it. Until now. I looked at him, but I didn't answer the question. "Look, Ally, I'll fire Bay as my songwriter."

"Oh, Austin," I looked at him, shocked, "No, you don't have to do that. You need a songwriter and if it can't be me then you don't have a choice."

Austin shook his head, "It's okay, Ally. I'll find a different one. I can't put you in that sort of turmoil. I'll fire her tomorrow." I looked at him. Great, now I feel horrible. But I nodded anyways. "It's pretty late, we should go." I nodded. "Are you coming tomorrow?"

I nodded, "I don't really have a choice. I have to run the store."

"Right," he said, smiling slightly at me. "Come on, I'll drive you home." I took a deep breath and followed him out the door. I was _not _ready to deal with Bay again, I wasn't ready to deal with anything that involved my past, but I don't seem to have a choice. _Baby steps, Ally, Baby steps, _I told myself.

**Comment?**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

[Ally]

_See my head aches from all this thinkin'_

_Feels like a ship God, God knows I'm sinkin'_

_Wonder what you do and where it is you stay_

_These questions are like a whirlwind, they carry me away_

I stopped writing the lyrics that were buzzing in my head when I heard the sound of my best friend's voice, "Ally!"

I look up seeing my Hispanic friend. "Hey, Trish," I smiled at her. She looked in my eyes, searching for something. I closed my songbook.

"Are you okay?" she asked, "I've been calling you since yesterday and you haven't picked up once."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. I forgot to turn my phone on," I told her, reaching into my pocket and grabbing my phone. I had put the battery back in last night when I got home but I was hesitant to turn my phone on due to all the voicemails and texts that would attack my phone the moment I turned it on.

"You turned it off?" she questioned.

"I needed time." I told her, "But there's nothing to worry about now. Bay will be out of here in no time. I feel bad about it, but Austin is firing her."

"He is?" Trish raised her eye brows.

"Yeah, I told him he didn't have to, but he was sure that he had to. He thought it wouldn't be fair to me," I told her, the corners of my lips twitching but I fought off the appreciative smile that wanted to curl.

Trish smiled at me, "He really cares about you, Ally. I mean, _really _cares."

I returned the smile, "I know." I said.

"Sorry, Ally, I have to go. Work," she told me.

My features warped into a look of shock, "You're going to work?"

"Yeah, I think something's wrong with me. I've been on time for the entire week and I haven't even been threatened to be fired once!" she exclaimed, gawking at me in horror. I shivered with fear. That was definitely not normal. She was still freaking out as she left the store, yelling at customers and tripping down the halls. I shook my head and opened my songbook once more.

I could hear a guitar playing softly in the Practice Room. I opened the door and saw Austin sitting there by himself playing some chords. I was actually surprised to see him considering he'd been gone all day. It was near closing time. Actually, it was closing time.

"Hey?" I said, confused as to why he was still here. He must've not even noticed my entry because he looked up with wide eyes, startled. He sighed and put the guitar down, standing up and walking towards me. My heart tripped in my chest when he ran his fingers through his hair, but I've grown used to the fluttering feeling and learned how to ignore it.

"Hey, Ally." I stared at him. He was acting weird. His body language wasn't relaxed like normal. He looked uptight about something.

"Is everything okay?" I asked him, "Is something on your mind? Do you need to talk?" His lips turned upwards into a small smile, grateful for my concern. He laughed softly.

"I'm fine," he assured me, but his smile slowly started to vanish. "But I do need to talk to you."

"I'm all ears," I told him, smiling.

"I...I don't think you're going to be okay with this but, please, just hear me out," he started to look really nervous now. That was when my heart started to race. Something was wrong. "Understand that I did this with my best intentions and I don't mean to hurt you in anyway, I just...I think it's a good decision and I know you'll be upset, but please, please, don't be angry with me, I-"

I didn't let him finish when my stomach turned nauseously, "You didn't fire her, did you?" I was surprised at the softness in my voice. His eyes that were filled with anxiety, flickered into a soft, apologetic look.

"Ally-"

"Austin, You said you would fire her," I took a step back. I know I had no right to demand that he fired her, but this all felt like a slap to the face considering everything he'd told me last night.

"I know, I know, but then I started talking with her and...and...I don't know, one thing led to another, and here I am, keeping her as my songwriter," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. I studied his face. I could see the apology engraved into his brown orbs. "Ally, I don't know anything about what really happened between the two of you or why she left...I just don't know and that's not my fault, but I need her as my songwriter. She's the only one I've found that was ever nearly as good as you." My heart was really hurting right about now.

"You said you wouldn't do that to me," I looked him in the eye and I know he saw the angry flames in mine.

He let out a defeated sigh. "I know, I know. But she did tell you she came back for you, Ally. Maybe she wants to change things - make things right. She just wants you to let her in." I shook my head, not letting his words sink into my flesh. "Ally, will you just listen?"

"I am listening-"

"No, you're not," he interjected, knowingly. He knew me all too well, there was no pretending I wasn't angry with his decision. He sat down on a chair. "Ally, come on, she's your family," I flinched rather noticeably when he said that word. He didn't say something for a moment, just continued to watch me. He didn't go on with whatever he was going to say, obviously having made that the decision wouldn't help at all.

I couldn't help myself, I blurted, "I don't see what you think is so special about her." I wasn't jealous. I really, truly wasn't. But I was angry with the fact that he still chose her to be his songwriter even after learning what she did - or half of what happened, anyways. I didn't exactly give him the full story and I know Trish wouldn't spill the details.

"She's a great songwriter - one that I need. I mean, I'd take you as my songwriter again in a heartbeat, but that doesn't look like it's gonna happen for us unless you want to drop yourself from Ronnie's label," he said.

"I've been thinking about it," I muttered under my breath, but I sucked in a breath when I saw the look on his face. _He heard me. _

"You what?" he gawked. He shook his head. "No, Ally, you can't do that. I won't let you."

"You can't tell me what to do, Austin. If I want to sign off of the label, I can." I held my ground.

Then he replied, "Ally, you're talking crazy now. I know you don't want to." _And he's totally right, I don't, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. _

"Well, what am I suppose to do? See her for the rest of my life?" I questioned him, rhetorically.

"Yeah, I guess so," he said, lacking empathy.

"You weren't suppose to answer that," I glowered at him. His eyes widened slightly and his face paled with panic for a moment. He shook his head. "Austin, I can't, okay?"

"Stop saying that. Yes, you can. You're Ally I-Still-Don't-Know-Your-Middle-Name Dawson," he replied, "You're better than that. You don't have to get along - I mean, I want you to, but just accept that she needs to be my songwriter and _you _need to keep your record deal."

"You said you wouldn't put me through that," I spat at him. He sighed and looked down at his hands.

"I know I did and I'm sorry," he apologized, sincerely. "But I was talking to her yesterday and I got to know her a little bit...I'm actually starting to really think she's a good person." My eyes grew wide and the fury was coursing through my veins. "Ally, don't be upset with me-"

"Too late for that!" I shrieked in disbelief. "I can't believe you, of all people, would do this to me!"

"I'm not doing anything to you," he assured me, assertively as he stood up. His height made me feel small, after all I was only in flats and I stood at a short 5'2 while he was a good, towering 6'1. "Ally, all I know is that whatever happened needs to stay in the past. I think she really is here for you. You can see it in her eyes." _He looks into her eyes? _"She really wants to make this right. She told me that, Ally. That's why I couldn't fire her. I can't do that. All she wants is to make things right with you, to be your sister again. Don't shut her out."

I shook my head at him. My anger was on such a high level, it made my vision go red and I could hardly think straight. I turned to bolt from the room, but Austin's great reflexes acted in the exact moment, the feeling of his warm palm on my wrist. I looked at him with a dark look.

"Ally, just try," he sighed. I was silent, staring him in the eyes. He really wanted me to work things out with her. I knew it was important to him for his songwriter to get along with his friends.

With ice in my voice, I said, "No." And yanked my arm from his grasp and slammed the practice room door. I started my way down the stairs and I heard him come after me.

"Ally, wait!"

"_Oof"_ I let out when I hit something hard. I stumbled slightly and when I looked I saw _her_ eyes. _And it just hurt. Everywhere. My heart. My head. My muscles. Everything just started to hurt. _

"I'm so sorry, Ally. Are you okay?" Bay said, biting down on her lip so hard I watched it turn white. I slowly looked up at Austin who was standing at the top of the stairs. So that's why he was here. He was meeting up with her. I should have expected that, but I was too angry to be hurt.

"Ally," Austin said and the sound of his voice made me feel just a little bit calmer, but it wasn't enough to defuse my rage. "Please?" There was suddenly a lump in my throat and I knew what it was. _Her. Betrayal. Confusion. Anger. _The list would go on, but my thoughts are racing too much that I just bolt. I hear Bay calling for me and I literally hear the desperation in her voice, but I'm gone.

I hated girls who never listened to anybody or stayed when being called upon, like geez, just hear them out, will ya? But I only thought that until now. Until she came back. That was when I entirely understood this whole "run away" from the problem thing. Sometimes it's the only method that sounds clear when your mind is pulsing with so much questions and anger. Sometimes it's the only thing you have when you feel like the world has turned upside down and is crushing you into the forces of gravity.

I frowned when I felt something on my cheek. I smeared my finger tips along the wetness and when I took a look at my hand, I saw the clear liquid and recognized it to be tears. I rolled my eyes at myself and defiantly walked home.

[No POV]

Bay slowly looked up towards Austin after she watched her sister book it out of the small music store. Austin looked back at her. He shook his head, sighing, and turned around to walk into the Practice Room. Bay looked away and sighed, shifting uncomfortably at the feeling of her heart aching.

Austin was sitting at the piano when Bay walked in. Austin stared at the piano and grieved over the days when it was so simple. When the only worries he and his friends had was getting Austin to his shows on time. "I'm sorry," he heard from the figure standing by the door.

Austin looked over to where the voice came from. His heart leapt inside his chest. She just looked so much like Ally. It was everything. The way she said things, her physical appearance, the way she moved. The only difference was she was a little bit more relaxed than Ally, but if he was to be totally honest, he missed having somebody as uptight as Ally working with him, it kept him balanced. "You're sorry?" he questioned.

"Yeah," she replied, nibbling on the inside of her cheek.

"For what?" he quizzed. She didn't reply. "Thanks for not firing me," Bay murmured after a moment. Austin's lips twisted into a smile and he nodded.

"It wasn't right," he told her. He twisted his body so he was fully facing Bay. "Ally's kind of...having a hard time accepting my decision."

"I see that," Bay pressed her lips together. Austin stared at her. "She means well." Austin smiled slightly. _At least one of them can be nice about the other, _he thought to himself.

Bay sat next to him at the piano and Austin immediately started to talk, "Ally and I wrote our first song together on this piano." Bay looked at him. "I love writing music with her. Ally's really great, she's very talented on the piano."

"I know," Bay blurted softly. Austin turned and looked at her, studying her features. Bay cleared her throat, staring down at the keys. "When she was about 4, she used to, um, she used to sit at the grand piano at one of the Bed and Breakfast Lodges when we would go camping as a family. She didn't even know how to play yet and she was just...naturally amazing at it. She didn't even know how to read yet and she could already understand music notes." Austin smiled slightly. Bay laughed slightly when the memory was replaying in her mind. "I remember she cried so hard when we had to leave the lodge because we didn't have a piano at home and she just wanted to play. So, Dad enrolled her into piano lessons and our Grandpa bought her this huge piano and when she would sit in it, she was so small you couldn't even see her." Austin laughed with Bay this time.

"That's a good memory," Austin said softly with a smile on his face. Bay smiled at him and nodded.

"Yeah, it is." she agreed. The room fell quiet and Bay played a few notes. Austin watched her fingers, but he could only think of Ally. Bay suddenly quit playing and looked at him. He immediately looked back at her. "What I did to Ally..." Bay shook her head and Austin could see the pain building up behind her eyes, "It was really selfish and stupid and I regret it. I can't change what happened. But, please, don't ever be mad at Ally for not being able to accept that I'm back. I really hurt her and that's something that will never go away. She needed me and I just left. So, don't, not even for one minute, think that Ally is being unreasonable with me. I deserve this."

Austin stared back at Bay, taking in her words. Now he was aching to know exactly what had happened. He knew Ally only told him bits and pieces. "Nobody deserves to be treated unfairly."

Bay let out a breath and shook her head. "For what I did to her...the way she acts to my presence isn't nearly as unfair as to what I put her through." Austin didn't say anything this time. "I know I promised a song, but I'll write you one tomorrow. I think we should get going."

Austin nodded and watched Bay get up a leave. Austin was now left alone with his thoughts and curiosity. He picked up his cell phone and dialed a number. He then heard the person on the opposite end pick up.

"Dez?" he said, "Get Trish and come to Sonic Boom. We need to get whatever happened with Ally and Bay sorted out." He then hung up his phone.

**Comment?**


	4. Chapter 4

"You guys made me come to Sonic Boom at 11 at night, just to tell me you want to find out how to patch things up with Bay and Ally?!" Trish shrieked at the two boys. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, loose tendrils falling at the sides of her face, right next to her eyes that looked ready to take in sleep.

"It was Austin," Dez declared, backing away from Trish in fear of her hitting him. Trish's eyes looked back to Austin and she shook her head.

"Austin, it's a bad idea," Trish said, "Bay and Ally just...won't ever be the same. _Ever." _she assured him.

"How do you know that?" he questioned, quizzically. "Maybe this could help them! We just need to get Ally to see Bay's side of things."

Trish felt irritation sprout, "And how about Ally's side of things?" she barked at him.

"Well, Bay already sees Ally's side of things. She told me she understands why Ally's angry." Austin explained.

Trish felt her fists clench at her sides, "Then why doesn't she leave already?"

Three lines creased into Austin's forehead as he looked at Trish. "Wait, You're mad at her, too?"

"Of course I'm mad at her!" Trish spat. "She left Ally and Mr. Dawson. And who do you think is the one who watched Ally grieve? It wasn't her." growled Trish. Austin sighed and sat on the piano bench.

"We need to do this for them, Trish. They're family. They need each other." Austin said, "and she's my songwriter. I don't want their being a conflict every time Bay is here."

Trish sighed, "Well, I'm sure they'll work it out when they're ready."

"And if they don't?" Austin countered. He then let out a long sigh, "Come on, Trish, we need to step in and do something. We need them to talk it out without Ally running away. We need to get Ally to hear Bay's side."

"You don't know anything that Ally went through, Austin," Trish glowered at Austin. Trish shook her head. "I think we should stay out of it and let Ally be. If it bothers Bay so much, she should've thought about that when she left." Trish started her way towards the door.

"Trish, she was eleven!" Austin enunciated. Trish turned back to look at Austin with a dark look.

"Yeah, and Ally was eight," she snapped back, "She hardly knew what was going on and the only person she really had who could understand her was Bay and she left. You don't even understand anything that happened. You don't even know what that did to her."

Austin stared at Trish, waiting for her to go on until realizing she wasn't going to. "Please, Trish. I want them to get along. Ally's important to me and I don't want her to be in turmoil for the rest of her life. We need to fix this."

"Austin, Can't we just leave it alone?" Trish wondered. He shook his head. "No, Austin, I'm not agreeing to this and I will tell Ally what you're planning if you go ahead without me." Austin's eyes widened and he shook his head. "Then stop," her tone left no room for an argument.

Dez suddenly spoke, "You know if we don't help soon, they will never work it out and that leads to a life-time of hurt." Austin and Trish froze and looked at Dez with a baffled look, not expecting him to say something so profound. "What?" he questioned, looking at them, confusedly.

Austin felt a smirk pasting to his lips, "Yeah, Trish. Dez is right. You want to help Ally, don't you?" Austin watched Trish's hesitance. "At least spend time with Bay tomorrow. You'll see that she really is here to make things right with Ally."

"And if I don't see that?" Trish quizzed.

"Then we can all agree to not medal with their family life." Austin replied. Trish thought about it. She groaned and then nodded. Austin smiled wide.

"We can't tell her anything, okay?" Trish said. The boys nodded. She was almost out the door when she turned back to Austin and Dez and said, "And we have to be careful. We might be hurting Ally by doing this." With that, she was out the door.

Austin studied what Trish said, replaying it over in his mind. A knot tied his heart when he thought about hurting Ally, but he knew that he really needed to help her and Bay. Dez looked at Austin before saying his goodbye.

Austin sighed, hoping that Trish's hang-out time with Bay tomorrow would be enough for her to let them make a plan to help the sister's out. Austin was looking around the room when he saw Ally's songbook. He collected it in his hands to give to her tomorrow.

He knew he shouldn't have but he did anyways; he looked inside her songbook. It was bookmarked. He let his eyes roam over the words.

_You disappear with all your good intentions_

_And all I am is all I could not mention_

_Like who will bring me flowers when it's over_

_And who will give me comfort when it's cold_

_She took a plane to somewhere out in space_

_To start a life and maybe change the world_

_See I never meant for you to have to crawl_

_No I never meant to let you go at all_

_Oh, no_

_Oh, no_

_Don't ever say goodbye_

_See my head aches from all this thinkin'_

_Feels like a ship God, God knows I'm sinkin'_

_Wonder what you do and where it is you stay_

_These questions like a whirlwind, they carry me away_

_Who will bring me flowers when it's over_

_And who will give me comfort when it's cold_

_Who will I belong to when the day just won't give in_

_And who will tell me how it ends and how it all begins_

_Oh, no _

_Oh no_

_Don't ever say goodbye_

_I'm only human,_

_I'm only human._

Austin sighed sadly and closed Ally's book, before leaving the practice room, jumping into his car and driving home.

**Next Morning**

Ally scrounged around the front desk, flipping papers frantically and opening locked and unlocked drawers. Her heart was pounding faster by the minute. Her palms were starting to sweat, "Come on," she grumbled underneath her breath. Ally could feel the tension twisting knots into her muscles. She was practically buried in paper by the time she heard the sound of something hard slapping onto the front desk's counter top. She slowly peered up to see who was there.

"Looking for this?" her blonde friend wondered, his palm set on top of the book which hid all of her songs. Slowly, Ally stood up on her feet and looked at him accusingly.

"You took my song book?" she quizzed, a muscle ticking right beside her left brow. One of the many quirks Austin added to a list of things he loved about her. He shook his head.

"No, you left it in the Practice Room last night. I took it to my place so nobody could find it and look through it. _You're welcome._" he explained, his tone frosting with more ice than he'd wanted.

"Oh," she murmured, "thanks," her voice was so low he'd barely heard it. She took the book and set it in one of the desk's drawers where nobody could get to it. There was a weary silence between the two friends before she heard Austin let out a sigh.

"Ally, I don't want to fight with you," he told her in defeat. '_We were fighting?' _Ally thought of replying but instead she nodded, refusing to make eye contact and instead, taking resort in staring at the counter top where the edges were chipping.

"I know," was all she said. She generally hated sulking and constantly tried to keep herself away from it, but at her circumstances she just didn't care anymore. She was too wrapped up in her confusion, anger, and whether she liked to admit it or not, the last half of her hurt and grief that she did not deal with.

"Ally, you're making this harder than it has to be," Austin knew that would frustrate her, but he didn't know what else to say. In his opinion, it was the truth. The only thing holding Ally back from opening up to her sister again was herself; she just needed to break down her walls and things could be okay.

Her reply: "I'm not." Because in Ally's opinion, Austin was too optimistic about the situation between herself and Bay. He needed to be a realist and learn the realistic side of things; Life doesn't always have the happy endings he's dreamed of. With that thought, she blurted, "Life isn't a fairytale, Austin. People can't mess up and then come running back home to be greeted with forgiveness and love."

"And how do you know that _she's_ the one who messed up?" he questioned back. He knew that Ally might blow up like dynamite in his face at that being said, so he tried to dig the heels of his feet harder into Sonic Boom's flooring, as if to gain some ground if she tore a few strips off of him. And he was sure she would.

Though, Ally didn't blow up. Instead, she looked him in the eye before leaning forward on the counter top and said in a low voice, one full of hurt, anger, betrayal, and confusion, "Because I'm not the one who broke a promise."

Then, Austin didn't know how to reply. "Ally," he whispered, their faces only mere inches apart. Ally backed up, pulling away from him. He wanted to reach out and grab her from across the counter, to just let her know with a small touch that he would always be there, that he would save her from anything, but he couldn't find the strength in him to move.

Ally shook her head, her hands trembling from suppressing so much emotion. "You don't get it, Austin, and obviously you never will, so just stop," she told him. "Could you do that for me? Could you just stop?" Austin thought he heard her voice waver but before he could dive further into the discussion, Ally had left the store, despite the fact that she was still on her shift.

When Austin looked to the left, he imagined it was going to be Bay who'd heard the discussion, but it wasn't. Instead, he found Trish there. She wasn't going to say anything, but words fell from her lips before she could stop them, "Austin, you need to stop."

"I can't," he grunted. "It's important that they work it out. They're family!" he sighed, leaning over the counter, dropping his head in disappointment. That conversation with Ally was supposed to be better. _Way _better.

"So, I take it you still want me to meet with Bay?" Trish sighed defiantly, obviously not wanting to, but she knew that Austin was determined to fix Ally and Bay's relationship, even if it was the last thing he ever did. Austin turned to her and he nodded with a hopeful look in his eyes. "Alright..." Trish couldn't help it, she had to say it, "But Austin," he looked at her, "Don't give your hopes up if whatever you're planning doesn't work. I don't have much faith that anything will. I think this is unfixable. You can save Ally from a lot of things; bullies at school, some anxiety, even mad dogs," Austin gave her a look. Trish shook her head, continuing on, "What I'm trying to say is: You can save Ally from so much, but this just might be the one thing that you can't. And you need to accept that."

Austin watched Trish walk out. There was so much he wanted to say, yet so little would leave his mouth. He sighed. He was about to leave Sonic Boom, but then he realized that nobody was here to cover Ally's shift. If he couldn't help her with Bay, the least he could do was help her with her job. With that, Austin jumped over the counter top and began work.

**Comment?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Did Austin make you hang out with me?" Bay wondered out loud, keeping her eyes to her feet as they walked through the mall. Trish looked at her, her eyes showing the alarm in them. Bay took her silence as a yes and then slowly nodded. "It's okay. I don't blame you for hating me either."

Trish felt awful. But the one thing that made her feel even more awful was what Bay had done to Ally. "I don't want to," the words left Trish's mouth without warning. Bay looked down at the short Latina. "But it's just-"

Bay nodded understandingly, pressing her lips together before interjecting, "It's just Ally. Right. It's okay. I do understand." Trish felt a tug at her heart. After all, she does reminisce the old times when her, Bay, and Ally would all sneak into the neighbors yard and go swimming in their pool.

"Bay," Trish let out, stopping in her footsteps. Bay noticed the movement beside her come to a halt and so she stopped as well. "I just..." Trish trailed off before looking up into the eyes of the woman who hurt her best friend ten years ago. "Do you want me to be honest with you?"

"I guess that would be a good start," Bay murmured.

"I can't get over what you put her through," Trish blurted. Bay took a deep breath, her eyes unwilling to meet Trish's as she nodded. Trish could see that they were starting to get in the way and so she started walking again as Bay followed by her side. "We were only eight when your mom left and Ally was...it was hard for her," Trish added, sneaking a glance at Bay who nodding and for a moment, it looked like she was remembering. "Then when you left, I watched Ally just break," Bay bit her lip and forced herself not to feel guilt, "I watched the person that she was...just disappear." Bay looked over at Trish. Trish stepped in front of Bay, stopping suddenly. "And I can't watch her go through it again. I _won't _watch her go through that again."

"Just as I _won't _do it again." Bay said, surprising Trish. "I really did come here to make things right with Ally. This whole being Austin's songwriter thing was a back-up plan and now that I know that Ally doesn't want me here...Austin is all I have to be given the chance to see her every now and again."

Trish didn't know what to think. Bay looked sorry. "You really want her back?"

Bay nodded, "Yes and I don't want to hurt her anymore, but I'm starting to get the thought and feeling that I'm hurting her just by being here, yet I still can't get myself to leave. I don't want to do that to her again."

In that very moment, Trish knew that Bay was genuine. Trish had an excellent judge of character, she always knew when somebody was bad news or if they were lying, nothing could get past her. In her gut, she knew Bay was here for Ally because she loved Ally more than anything. Just as a sister should.

"You really are here for her," it wasn't a question, it was a statement. Bay stared down at Trish. "Okay." Bay rose a perfectly trimmed brow in confusion. "Alright...I think I forgive you."

Bay didn't fake her surprise, "You do?"

Trish smiled sincerely and nodded, "Yes. I'll help you try to get close with Ally again. I will help you patch things up."

"You'd do that for me?" Bay questioned.

"Yeah, I would. Austin would, too, even Dez. The three of us are gonna help you fix things with Ally. But I will always be with Ally, she's my best friend, my trust and love will always remain with her so if you do happen to hurt her again, I don't think I'll be able to even speak to you again."

Bay nodded. "I won't. I won't hurt her. At least not intentionally. I never wanted to hurt her, things just...stuff happened." Bay said, "But I will try, with everything in me, not to make that mistake again," Bay promised and Trish watched as a big, stray tear rolled down Bay's cheek before Bay laughed shamefully and wiped it away.

Trish nodded. "I need to take you to Mini's." Trish told her, grabbing her arm and dragging her across the mall.

Trish opened the door to the Practice Room where Austin sat on the floor, dwelling in his gloom and Dez stood above him, saying pointless things that were not helping at all. Trish shut the door, grabbing their attention.

They stared at her as Trish took a deep breath. "Only because I know Bay really wants her sister back," she enunciated. Dez half-smiled meanwhile Austin couldn't stop the excitement that jolted his body into a standing position.

"Awesome!" he shouted.

"I can't lie, I feel bad about this. I feel like I'm betraying Ally," admitted Trish. Austin shook his head.

"Well, you're not - we're not. We're helping her out with something that _needs _to be done." Austin comforted. Trish and Dez nodded.

The trio glanced at each other and there was a long beat of silence before Dez let out, "So, what's the plan?"

"No idea/No clue," Austin and Trish chorused. Dez took a deep breath as he glanced towards the closet and opened it. He wheeled out a white board and grabbed a dry-erase marker. He popped the lid off with a click and looked at his two friends.

"Looks like we must ask the drawing board for help," he said.

Austin nodded about to grab a marker when a confused Trish asked: "What does a drawing board have to do with patching up Bay and Ally's relationship?"

"because every great plan needs a drawing board, duh," Dez said, before he started drawing out a plan on the white board.

**2 Hours Later**

"This is not gonna work," Austin deadpanned as he and Dez viewed their messy work. Trish was sitting on the piano bench, flipping through a fashion magazine as she nodded.

"Told you," she said, nonchalantly.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Dez questioned her, crossing his arms. Trish tossed the magazine on top of the piano and stood up.

"Not exactly, but Ally and Bay need to talk. What happened between the two of them left a lot of damage and I'm not sure an _'I'm Sorry' _and a pickle-basket is gonna fix anything. We need to somehow get them to be in the same room to talk everything out. Every emotion, every thought." Trish suggested. "There, that's all there is to it. _Talking._"

"But that's boring," Austin groaned. Trish sent him a dark look and his face paled before he grinned lazily and said, "Whoa, what an excellent idea, Trish, I had no idea that you had that in you. I...I am stunned. Wow."

"Much better," she said.

"Okay, but how are we gonna get them in the same room together if Ally won't even try thinking about Bay, let alone getting in a room with her?" Dez quizzed.

Trish just then noticed the stares from the two boys fall on her face. "Why are you looking at me?"

"Well, since you're the one who thought of the whole talking thing, you should probably decide the big plan." Austin said. Trish sighed.

"Well, I don't know! I mean, Ally will probably not even listen to me or even if she did, she'd take one look at Bay and walk out."

"We could lock the doors!" Austin suggested, his eyes bright. "It worked with Dez and Chuck, why won't it work with them?"

"Uh, Maybe because Ally isn't stupid?" Trish thought, giving him a look. Austin didn't back down this time, he returned the look. Trish sighed. "Okay, so what? We're gonna shove them into the closet and lock it?"

"No, I want to be there for this," Austin admitted, "I want and need to know that they do make up and that Ally forgives Bay."

"Okay...So, we shove them in the Practice Room, lock the door, and then block the door so they can't get out?" Trish wondered.

"I've got it!" Dez shouted loudly, making the two of them flinch.

"Dez, we're right here, you don't need to yell," Austin said, massaging his ear.

Dez ignored Austin and continued, "Friday at 6:3o -"

"Why do we need a specific time?" Trish wondered to him.

"Because then I'll have already had dinner and won't be hungry," he explained before continuing again, "Friday at 6:30 P.M., Austin will text Ally that she needs to come to the Practice for it is an emergency. From there, Ally will come running all nervous and concerned, and she'll come to the Practice Room, Austin will turn out to be fine, suddenly Bay will just miraculously come into the Practice Room and just as Ally wants to leave, Trish and I will slam the door, lock it, and the three of us will block the door and Ally will be forced to listen to Bay and get over whatever it is that's stopping her."

"Do you think it will work?" Austin asked after a period of silence.

"We can try." Trish said. The trio nodded. "Let's do it."

**Dawson House**

**Evening**

By the time Ally returned home, she was exhausted. She'd successfully avoided her sister in the mall and was thankful for that. She had her songbook clutched in her aching hand. She was sure her wrist was nearly broken from all the writing she'd done.

"Ally?" called her father from the dining room.

"Oh, you are home," Ally sighed with relief, "is dinner ready? I'm _starving,_" she added as she made her way towards the kitchen. She found her feet coming to a halt when she'd made it to the dining room.

There sat her father at the table and across from him, her sister. Bay gulped down a lungful of air as her anxiousness pressed inside her abdomen at the sight of Ally. Ally looked from sister to her father, trying to decipher what was happening.

"There's pizza and salad in the fridge. We already ate." Lester informed Ally, unsure of how Ally was going to react to seeing Bay inside their house. He wasn't stupid; he knew Ally was angry of Bay's return.

Ally flinched with hurt. He ate without her?But they _always _eat dinner together. Ally swallowed down the knot that was swelling inside her throat and masked her hurt with bitterness. "Oh." her voice clipped.

"We were just going to watch a movie," Bay said. Ally felt like she was suffocating. "Would you like to join?" Ally could feel her heart crumbling inside her chest just by the simple invite. _Of course she wanted to. _

Instead, she slipped out, "I have homework." Ally watched her father's shoulders slump as he rubbed his face, sighing.

"Maybe, I could help!" Bay smiled warmly. Lester smiled over at Bay, loving that she was willing to reach out to her sister although Ally was not acting in the best of behavior.

"I think I've got it," Ally's voice was frozen with thick ice. Lester turned to look at his youngest daughter, sending her a dark look.

"Maybe you could bring your homework out here. I think we should have some family time." Lester suggested, but Ally caught the way it was softer when directed to Bay. It made her angry.

Bay didn't quite catch the change in tone and immediately grinned, "That's a great idea, I-"

"I'd rather do it alone in my room. Better..._focus._" Ally snapped, acidly.

"Ally, please?" Bay pleaded. Ally had to suck in a deep breath to keep herself from falling apart. She wanted badly to let Bay in, but she wouldn't. She couldn't find the courage to do so.

She just wanted to get out of there, like now. "No," her voice was stale and cold as she walked away, ignoring her father's request for her to come back. She made it to her room and shut her door with a slam, making sure Bay and her father knew that she wasn't impressed.

Ally stared down at her math homework, but her mind started wandering. It wandered until it was far enough away that she didn't even hear her father yelling for her to come back or she would be grounded. But even if she did hear him, she wouldn't of listened. She wouldn't of cared. Because right now, Ally didn't care. The turmoil in her heart was thick and it was loud, blocking out anything that used to make sense.

_Thick droplets rolled down the eight-year-olds cheeks. She relaxed into the warmth of her sister, who was cradling her like she was a newborn. "It's okay, Allyssa. It's okay." she crooned softly, forcing herself to stay strong for her little sister. "She'll come back. She promised me." _

_"Bay," whimpered the eight year old. Bay looked down at her little sister and focused on the look in her eyes, "Do you promise to never leave me?"_

_Bay stared down at her sister in awe. "I promise, Allyssa. I promise with my whole heart that I will never let anything hurt you, ever. I won't ever leave you or be the one to hurt you. I promise. I promise. __**I promise.**__"_

_Small, little Ally Dawson, grinned up at her sister through her tears, "That makes me feel better," she admitted, hugging her older sister tighter as they both grieved the sudden abandonment of their mother._

With one quick and strong movement, Ally had thrown her math book across the room where it hit the wall and fell to the floor, the pages tumbling open. "Liar," she growled under her breath.

"Allyssa Marie Dawson," her father's voice thundered suddenly, swinging the door open. Ally felt her insides tighten. _She was definitely in trouble. _"Come down stairs now," he ordered, expecting to leave no room for her to argue, but she did anyways.

"Dad-"

"Ally," he roared. He sucked in a deep breath, glancing down the hall before stepping inside her room and shutting the door. "Bay is here whether you like it or not. You may be willing to let her go again, but I am most certainly _not! _That is my daughter and your sister sitting in our living room, something I've dreamt about since the day she left. I don't know if she's going to stay or even how long she will stay, so get downstairs and we are going to be _a family._" This time Ally knew there was nothing she could say or do to change her father's orders and so she watched him walk out with loud steps.

Ally felt her gaze stare brokenly at her bedroom floor, whispering, "Yeah, _your dream_ and _my_ _nightmare._"

Ally stood up and made her way down the stairs where Bay sat on the couch playing with a loose thread on her sweater. Ally didn't attempt to move or take a seat. She stared at her father's backside as he was popping a movie into their DVD player. She just wanted to scream. After a solid two minutes, Ally decided to take a seat.

"Did you get your homework done?" Bay asked, trying to melt the icy silence.

Ally didn't even look at her, "Yeah," she said, bluntly. Bay nodded.

"That's good. So, Dad said you're pretty smart. Straight A's?" Bay didn't care about Ally's tone, she just wanted some sort of conversation. She was aching for it.

"Yup."

"Good."

"Yeah."

"Do you hate me?"

Ally sucked in a deep breath and didn't know how to react to the question. Lester's movements froze. He was scared to turn around and face his conflicted daughters, so he didn't. Instead, he waited for Ally's reply.

Bold and fearless, Ally let out with stomach turning anger, "Yes, I hate you. Why wouldn't I?" but Bay heard her voice catch at the end. _I deserved that, _Bay told herself.

"Ally," thundered Lester, standing up straight and glowering down at his daughter. "I will not tolerate-"

"I wasn't going to lie to her," Ally interrupted. Ally then looked into the eyes of her father and that was when he realized he'd underestimated the anger Ally was in. There was a lot more than what he thought. But then he saw something flicker in her eyes for a moment before it was gone. What was it? Hurt? Grief? Pure sadness? "She asked me a question and I said yes."

Lester couldn't find his voice anymore. He stared down at his daughter, just realizing that she'd slipped from his finger tips and he hadn't caught her. He wanted to know everything Ally was feeling, but he couldn't help her if she shut him out. _Just like her mother, _he thought bitterly.

"It's alright, Dad," Bay calmed. Ally was fuming, _how dare she call him by that name after what she put him through. _Lester's eyes suddenly grew as did Bay's as they stared at Ally, mouths gapped open. That was when Ally realized it; she'd said it _out loud._

Her father jumped in right away, "Ally-"

Ally leaped up from the couch, her vision going red with flaming anger, "No!" she shouted. She glared down to the girl she once called her sister, "Stop acting like you know what you did, because you _don't! _You weren't there for half of it! Do you know what you did to him? You _wrecked _him!" When Ally saw Bay's eyes flash with guilt, it sent adrenaline coursing through her body and she had a feeling she wasn't half way through with what she wanted to say. "You know what Mom leaving did to him, did to _you! _So why, why did you put him through anymore? Didn't you think that was enough for him? No, you didn't, because you were only thinking about yourself! And that's all you've ever done! You've only thought about yourself! _Just. Like. Mom._"

Bay shot up from the couch, "I am _nothing _like her. Don't you dare even _try _to compare me to that woman." Bay jabbed a long, thin finger into the middle of Ally's chest. Ally gulped. "You want me to stop acting? Why don't _you _try to stop acting? You're the one who's been avoiding me since I got here! Stop pretending like you hate me, because I know you don't! Face it, Ally, you can't hate me, I'm your sister. You talk about Dad as if you felt everything he was feeling, but it's not what he thinks or feels, it's what _you _think and it's what _you _feel!"

Ally had thick tears rolling down her cheeks, but she swore they were tears of anger and not because Bay was right. "That's not even close to the truth. _I do _hate you and I always _will _hate you. You can't fix what you did. You can't just leave and then come back and act like you deserve a second chance. You can't..." Ally licked her lips before her wavering voice blurted, "You can't do that _to me!" _

Silence.

That was all that was echoing through the Dawson household. Ally sucked in a deep breath and used the back of her hand to wipe the salty tears from her now sticky cheeks. The brokenness that was cradled inside Ally's voice could not be denied by anyone in that moment, it was so pure, so real, so _there. _

Then the doorbell went off and Ally silently breathed in relief. She needed to avoid what just happened and this was exactly how to do it. She was quick to get to the door, tripping over furniture on her way over. She felt pathetic; sniffing and stumbling all the way to the door.

When she opened the door, she was greeted with the face of her blonde friend. He was holding a pickle basket in one hand. Obviously apologizing for today's earlier events, but the grin on his lips was slapped to the ground when he saw her face. Her red cheeks that had trails of tears marked on them and her eyes that were glossy with more unshed tears, her brown orbs that held something broken and angry in them.

"Ally," he said softly, "What happened?" his thumb touched the wet trail on her cheeks and immediately retracted his hand when Ally moved her face, laughing slightly.

"Nothing," she said, her smile was cruel though, almost mocking. _She looked so...different, _Austin thought. He just couldn't see his Ally. Just as he was about to question her, he felt an undeniable tension reach him from inside the house. Curious, he peeked over Ally's shoulder and realization slapped him hard in the face. There he saw Lester, looking a little stunned yet angry, and Bay looking guilt ridden. He knew immediately that there had been a toss in words.

Ally snuck a glance over her shoulder, but the unspoken emotions that remained in the house were strangling her with its frail finger tips and so she immediately gripped Austin's arm as if reaching for him so he could save her from everything she felt. Then she croaked, "Let's go," she didn't even bother reaching for shoes as she shut the door , pulling him away from the house.

"Ally, talk to me, what happened?" he begged, following her towards his car. She didn't reply as she jumped in the passenger side and slammed the door. He scrambled to his side of the car and got into the driver's seat. He stared at the side of her face.

Before he could open his mouth and ask her again, she said, "Just drive." He nodded once and obeyed her order, throwing the car into drive. She finally felt her lungs open up wider as she saw the house disappearing in the rear view mirror. She watched the city pass her by.

Ally didn't even realize they were at a stop light, she just stared ahead. Austin stared at Ally, unsure of what to do. Was he suppose to talk? Not say anything at all? He studied her, taking in her body language. The way she relaxed into the seat, as if she just wanted to disappear. Her chest was heaving as she was gulping in a lungful of air, finally being able to breathe.

"The light's green," she suddenly said. He immediately turned his stare away and pressed on the gas. He decided not to say anything but instead, sit in the comfortable, worrisome silence with her. He was about to signal, to turn towards the mall, thinking she could use some music, but her small hand touched his forearm and he glanced at her for a moment. "Don't stop," she told him, "just keep driving."

He listened and kept driving straight, but his curiosity was eating at him, "Where?" he replied, quizzically.

"Anywhere," she said, her voice so soft that he had to strain his ears to hear her. "Just away from here."

He was worried now. But he nodded anyways and stepped on it. He reached forward and turned on the radio, letting music fill the car. The blonde and brunette glanced at each other, a smile tugging on both of their lips as they settled into the sound of the radio.

**Comment?**


End file.
